Apparatus for forming the explosive charges for internal-combustion engines.



I I e. F. WHEELER. r I APPARATUS FOR FORMING THE EXPLQSlVE CHARGES FOR |NTEHNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-30, 1912.

Patented May 2,1916

3 SHEETS-SHEET '1.

G. F. WHEELER. APPARATUS FOR FORMING THE EXPLOSIVE CHARGES FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE APPLICATION FILED SEPT: 30| I912.

Patented May 2, 1916,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2T G. F. WHEELER. APPARATUS FOR FORMING THE EXPLOSIVE CHARGES FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 3 0, I9I2.

Patentd May 2 e snares Parana @FFZMUE.

GEORGE F. WHEELER, ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

I APPARATUS FOR FORMING THE EXPLOSIVE CHARGES FOR INTERNALGOMBUSTION ENGINES.

meagre.

original application filed July 20, 1911, Serial No. 639,527. Divided and 30,1912; Sjerial No. 723,101.

... Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for forming the explosive charges for mternal combustion engines, and embodies subJect matter. divided from my application, Serial No. 639,527, filed July th, 1911.

The Object of the invention is to provide a chargeformin'g apparatus for internal combustion engines which is simple in construction and efiicient in operation. v

A further object-of the invention 18 to provide a charge forming apparatus of the character referred to, which is especially adapted for use in connection with crude or other form of heavy hydro-carbon Oll fuel.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists substantially in the construction, combination, location and relative arrangement of parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, as shown in the accompanying drawings, and finally pointedout in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:.Figure l is a view in side elevation of an internal combustion engine showing the application thereto of fuel forming devices, embodying the principles of my 1nvention. 2 is a. view in vertical central longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 1s a. broken detail view in section of water feed devices employedin connection with the operation of the engine and which supplies the water portion of the charge of explosive mixture employed for operating the engine. Fig. 4 is a similar view on the line 4, 4, of

Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a view partly in side ele-' vation and partly in section on the line 5, 5, Fig. 7 showing the hot ball dome and a portion of the fuel feeding connection. F ig. 6

is an end view of the same, partly insection on the line 6, 6, Fig. 7 looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 'Z is a view in' section on the line 7 7, Fig. 6. r

The same part is designated by the same fipecifioation of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1916. this application filed Sentember reference sign wherever it appears throughout the several views.

As pointed out in my application above referred to, from which the present application is a division, the practical and successful operation of internal combustion engines, and especially engines of the type ems ploying hydro-carbon oil for fuel, is 'dependent largely upon two essential elements, namely, time and heat, that is, suflicient heat must be generated or employed to convert the fuel into a gas vapor within the time permitted therefor. For example, in an engine of the two-cycle type, designed to run at, say, two hundred and eighty revolutions per minute, it is necessary to effect a feed of the fuel and vaporization and conversion of the same at the rate of 280-conversions a minute In the accomplishment of the work of the engine, in the most efficient manner, it is also desirable to pro vide means for utilizing the expansive force of the vaporized fuel to the very best advantage. In carrying out my invention, therefore, I propose to employ means whereby the eflicient conversion of the fuel into vapor is accomplished within the necessary time, allowed for such purpose, and to employ the required degree of heat to effect said vaporization. 1n the attainment of the result in view I also propose to su ppl: the fuel oil to. the engine in such manner and condition as to promote the instantaneous vaporization and conversion of the same into gas under the influence of the heat to which it is subjected, and the complete combustion thereof in the explosion resulting from the ignition of the explosive charge.

steam and to utilize the heat of the explosion, not only to vaporize the fuel but also to ignite the charge and to generate and to super-heat the steam, thus, in effect, providing a combination of internal combustion engine and a steam engine.

In carrying out my invention, I propose to provide means in connection with the charge forming devices for supplying the water to the explosive chamber. This of course may be accomplished in-many specifically different ways. In the particular form shown, to exemplify my invention the water is supplied to the space between the exterior surface of the piston and the interior surface of the cylinder and in sufficient. quantity, either alone or in connection with lubricating oil, to form a floating piston, that is, to surround the greater portion or substantially the entire portion of the piston during its reciprocations, with a film of water and oil to effect an efficient lubrication -of the piston, and to maintain the piston as well as the inner surface of the cylinder cool and to enable the water to absorb heat from the piston and the cylinder, while at the same time enabling me to utilize the lubricating water, so employed, for conversion into steam, for use in connection with the explosive charge, by the heat of the explosion, and which steam combines with the explosive charge and becomes superheated from the heat of explosion, and exerts its expansive force on the piston, thereby augmenting the expansive force of the explosion charge and aiding and causing the piston to perform ,its work. Also in carrying out my invention I propose to provide means for supplying a hydro-carbon oil, or other fuel, to the explosive chamber under pressure, and to maintain the oil under pressure within the explosive chamber until the instant of time arrives for the vaporization to take place and then to release the compressed fuel into a highly heated cha-nber whereby vaporization of the charge in a most efficient manner is instantaneously accomplished, the fuel 011 belng released from pressure into and discharged directly against a highly heated interior surface of the explosion chamber, and a body of ancompressed into the explosion chamber and also into water or steam supplied thereto. These are among the special purposes and objects of my present invention and, together with other objects and purposes more or less relating thereto, but in conjunction and cooperation therewith, are accomplished in a most efficient manner in the construction which I have shown, and will now describe, of an operative embodiment for carrying out the principles of my invention.

In the drawing A, designates the cylinder head or dome, having an interior chamber in which the explosion of the charge or fuel takes place.

B is the cylinder; C an air box; D the guide for the cross head E; L the piston; K the piston rod; 66 the c oss head pin for connecting the cross head to the connecting rod I; J the main bed for supporting the engine and Z) the fly wheel or balance.

The air box C is provided with an air intake connection W, suitably controlled in such man.;e1- that the piston draws in air on one stroke thereof and compresses the same into the air box on the return stroke thereof, and atsuitable points in the operation of the engine the compressed air in the airbox is released into the cylinder, first to scavenge the same and then to be compressed to form a portion of the explosive charge.

The nitial effect of the compressed air -when it enters the cylinder in the operation of the engine is to scavenge the cylinder of the products of combustion of the previously exploded charge, driving the foul gases and other products of combustion out of the cylinder through an exhaust port, indicated at 27, or such portion of the foul gases and the explosion occurs, but also, when the piston begins to move in its out-stroke and eventually closes the air inlet port 26, and exhaust port 27, the air remaining in the cylinder after the exhaust port is closed, and during the continuation of the out; stroke of the piston, liecomes compressed, and a fresh charge of air is drawn into the air box for compression while the compressed air within the cylinder or dome combines with the vaporized fuel which has been supplied in the meantime, as well as thesteam generated, to form the explosive charge for actuating the piston on its next in or' working stroke.

As above indicated, the two most "important essentials in engines of the type and character to which the present invention relates, are time and heat, that is, there must be suflicient heat to convert the oil ,employed as fuel into gas or vapor to carburet the compressed air and to generate the steam, within the interval of time-in the cycle of operation of the engine that is allowed for said purposes. There must also be sufficient heat, to effect the explosion of the charge and to convert the water supply into steam. All of this must be accom plished within the interval of time in the cycle of operation of the engine allowed therefor. The interval of time referred to is of course more or less dependent upon the speed of the engine and the time interval required after the explosive charge is admitted must be sufficient to enable the charge to'be compressed and for the igni -tion of the compressed charge to take place,

and for the explosion to occur. The other 2' me to accomplish the best results.

of such degree as to eiiect the'complete conversion of the fuel into vapor, and of the Water into steam, and to superheat the steam, 'since any oil that is not converted into vapor will not explode but will simply smudge and produce smoky exhaiist and leave a carbon deposit on the inner walls of passages of the explosion chamber, and of the cylinder, and hence results in the loss of eilic iency, and cause internal troubles and fail- \Vhere, however, the temperature employed for igniting, exploding and steam generating purposes, is maintained at a sufiiciently high degree to efl'ect the complete conversion of the oil into vapor, all of the oil is consumed,

thereby resulting in great economy, clear exhaust, and elimination and prevention of carbon deposits. In order to enable the fuel to be, sufiiciently and completely consumed at each explosion, the oil should be supplied under conditions which enable it to become readily and quickly vaporized. My

. present inventlon provides means for accomplishing these results in a most effective and advantageous manner, and while I have shown and W111 now describe a construction suitable for carrying my invention in this connection into practical operation, my invention in its broadest scope, as defined in the claims, is not to be limited or restricted to the specific details of construction shown and now to be described.

To the outer end of the cylinder, 1 apply an unjaclreted hollow dome A, the interior chamber of "which opens freely into the outer end of the working cylinder B. In practice I prefer to form the interior wall surface 106, of the dome A, somewhat spherical or semi-spherical in shape and contour. A hot ball V, -is provided and which extends at one end through an opening in the wall of the dome A. The inner surface of the end of the hot ball which extends through thewall of the dome is indilies flush with the inner surface 100 of the dome A. The hot ball V, is heldin placecated at 24, forming a bridge or plate which heat to which the hot ball is subjected, The interior of the hot ball V, is in communication with the interior of the chamber of the dome A through the openings 102, formed by the spider legs 103, see Fig. 5, which form the connection between the bridge 21 and the body of the hot ball V.

I will now describe the manner of delivery of the fuel oil into the explosion chamber formed by the interior of the 'dome A.

As above explained the fuel feed pump, indicated generally by reference letter R, delivers oil through the pipe connections elf) into a nozzle device T, through a union 19. A lvalve 18 is arranged to control the passage through the union 19 into the nozzle casing. This yalveseat-s outwardly and 1S yieldingly held lZOfltS seat by a spring 10-l,

see Fi 5. The tension of this s )rin ma 7 be adjusted in many different ways. I have I shown an adjustable screw plug 105, for thls purpose. Thls valve acts as a check valve opening under the influence of the action of the pump mechanism It, during the working stroke of the feed pump to pen mit the oil delivered by the pump to enter the nozzle casing T, but preventing the return of the oil from the nozzle casing during the return stroke of the fuel feed pump piston. Withiirthe nozzle casing T, and communicating.with the chamber of said casing, is a barrel 106 which extends through 1 an opening 107 in the wall of dome A, and into the interior of said dome; The inner end of this barrel extends into close proximitj to the inner surface of the bridge 24,

of the hot ball. A lateral delivery opening 22 is formed in the barrel 106, directly opposite and delivering upon the inner surface of bridge 24, at approximately the centerof said surface. This opening in the barrel constitutes the discharge opening for the oil into the dome. The inner end of the barrel 106 is closed 21. The extreme outer end of nozzle casingT, is similarly closed by a plug 108. Arranged to extend longitudinally into the barrellOfi, and into the chamber of nozzle casing '1, is a long stem 12, carrying acheck valve 13, at its inner end, adapted to a seat formed in the barrel, and an adjustable nut 17 is carried by said stem at its outer end. Interposed between the nut 17 and, a shoulder 16, which is fixed within the nozzle chamber T, is a spring 15, which, it will be observed, is located wholly outside of the dome or the permanently by a plug cylinder, and the tension of which is exerted at a certain predetermined pressure and when' additional oil is forced into the. nozzle from the main fuel supply pump the oil pressure within the nozzle is thereby raised sufficiently to overcome the spring pressure referred to and hence the valve 13 is an seated and the oil under pressure referred to is allowed to discharge through the discharge opening .22 in the barrel nozzle and directly against the inner surface of the hot ball bridge 24. The amount of oil discharged at each stroke depends upon the length of stroke of the fuel feed pump, a'i1d this in turn may be. controlled in any suit-'" able or convenient manner, and, preferably,- automatically controlled by the speed of the engine through the action of the speed governor in a well known or in any suitable or convenient manner.

The operation of the oil delivering and charge forming mechanism so far described is as follows :The tension of springs 15 and 104, being adjusted to the desired de 'gree, the oil is pumped into the nozzle, filling the chamber of the nozzle and the barrel, and raising .the pressure of the oil contained therein to the desired predetermined degree, say, for example, 200 pounds. Thereafter another stroke of the piston of the fuel supply pump increases the pressure of the oil within the barrel and nozzle beyond the predetermined pressure at which the oil is maintained within the nozzle and barrel by the tension of springs 15 and 104. Thisexeess of pressure of the oil in the barrel causes the valve 13, to be ilnseated and the oil to escape and to be delivered against the surface of bridge 24:. It is to be under stood that the temperature of the dome A, is very high. Consequently the oil 09ntained within the barrel becomes preheated by reason of the heat communicated to the barrel from the dome and also from the heat due to the explosion of the charges within the dome. In practice the temperature to which the oil within the barrel is thus subjected, before it is liberated through the lateral discharge opening 22, and against the bridge surface 2%, varies between 800 and 900 degrees. This is far above the ordinary flashing point of the oil, but the oil does not ignite within the nozzle nor is it converted into gas because of said preheating, on account of the high pressure under which the oil is maintained within the bar- ,rel. But by reason of this preheating to a high degree, and the pressure under which the preheated oil is maintained, and the relation of the discharge opening of the barrel mto the dome with reference to the adjacent highly heated surface of the bridge against which the oil is delivered, whenreleased, from the barrel, it will be seen that the condition of the highest efficiency for forming the explosive charge, and for exploding the charge at the proper instant of time is attained. In other words, the two essential elements, namely, time and heat, are provided for so that the instant the highly heated and compressed oil is liberated from the barrel against the bridge of the hot ball it instantly bursts into vapor by reason of the release of pressure thereon,v

and under the influence of the enormous increase of heat to which it is instantly subjected when released from the barrel, and this vapor instantly spreads itself out over the inner surface of the dome and becoming mixed with the air and steam, which at this instant havebeen compressed into the hot dome as will presently more fully appear, to form an explosive charge. The airwhen compressed into the heated dome on the instroke of the piston, as above indicatel, is brought to the same temperature as that of the highly heated dome while the oil due to its liberation into the dome is also maintained at a high temperature, and consequently, at the instant of its liberation, contains sufiicient heat to be instantly converted into vapor, and since the air into which the liberated oil is vaporized is at the higher temperature of the dome, the bursting force of the oil in vaporizing into the highly heated air is suflicient to thoroughly and instantly carburct the air, and to produce instantly a highly explosive mixture becoming quickened in combustion and explosive action. The ignition of this explosive charge is instantaneous on account of the highly heated condition of the dome and the hot ball as well as that of the oil vapor. Under these conditions complete combustion of the charge is secured, the desired heatis maintained, the feed of oil and the mixture thereof to form the explosive charge, and the explosion of said charge all take place within the time allowed therefor, at whatever speed the engine may be driven, consequently it becomes impossible for any part of the oil toafail to ignite at each injection of the fuel supply. This part of my invention Ircgard as of very great importance in that it enables me to secure a complete combustion of the fuel oil without the deposit of carbon, and to secure the full benefit and advantage of utilization of the entire fuel supply in the performance of work. It also enables me to use heavy oil such as crude or Texas oil Without depositing smudge or other form of carbon due to incomplete combustion, and consequently reducing the cost of operation of.

engines by permitting the use of cheap ,or with water and oil, a water seal is formed grades of fuel oil.

I haye referred to the use of oil, air, and steam in forming the explosive charge, and to the compression of the air and steam by the piston action, and I have described how the air is compressed on the in-stroke of the piston, into the air box, and its release into thecylinderin the front of the piston, and its action of scavenging the cylinder after the explosion to drive out the products of combustion therefrom, and its compression Within the cylinder during the out-strokev of the piston.

I will now {describe the arrangement for securing the supply of water to be formed into steam and superheated and compressed or water and oil are supplied together to the piston, not only for the "purpose of forming a lubricant between the pistonoand the interior surface of the' cylinder, but also to supplywater to the com-v bustion chamber, or the-dome in the cylinder to produce the steam foruse in connection with the explosive mixture .and for aiding and effecting the power stroke of the piston. Y The piston L, is shown as-a loose piston,

that is,,it fits loosely within the main cylinder B, and in the form of my invention shown in Figs. 2 and 8,11 form the piston with exterior rings, leaving spaces 64 therebetween, which constitute chambers between rings and between the exterior surface of the piston and the interior surface of the T cylinder to receive the water or other lubricant therein and as the wateruentirely encircles the piston in these spaces, it will be seen that the piston is a floating piston, so-

to speak, the greater portionof the bearing surface between the piston and the cylinder being a waterbearing, the surface of the piston rings being the only Wearing surfaces. iA suflicient number of piston rings are employed to prevent thebody of the piston from coming in contact with the inner surface of the cylinder. \Vhen the oircum-.

ferential chambers 64, are filled with water,

' between the piston and the .cylinder thereby also'seen in the drawing.

preventing the escape of air compressed into the cylinder, or of the combustion gases prodicated at 110, and making the exterior of the piston surface immediately adjacent and on each side of the packing rings M, conform closely to the bore of the cylinder, as

In supplying thewater, or the water and 'oil, to the space between the exterior surface of'the piston and the interior surface of the past said port, and in order to secure'the greatest possible advantage I propose to supply the water to. the exterior surface of 1 the piston at a point closely adjacent the air inta sure of air-from the air box in the Water e port 26. The presence of any pressupply connections or packing, will thus" form a trap and prevent the water from flowing into the chambers around the piston. I therefore propose to employ means to balance this air pressure, thereby breaking any trap that might be formed, and thus secure the free flow of water, or of water and oil. Any suitablearrangement for this purpose may be employed. 3It is to be understood, however, that my invention, as defined in the claims, is not to be limited orrestricted in these respects, nor to the use of water and oil as'to form a floating piston for lubricating purposes. So far as my present invention is concerned, the essential feature is the supply of water to the explosion chamher, so as to combine with the explosive charge, and to modify the same by reason of the water being converted into steam, and possibly being raised to such an intense degree of heat as to be resolved into its component constitutent gases, and so entering into the composition of the explosive charge as to increase the effective action thereof, and also to form steam which becomes superheated, and the expansive force of which is utilized in aiding the piston to'accomplish its working stroke. It is obvious therefore that the water supplied for this purpose may be supplied in'any suitable or convenient manner. I have shown the water supply for the steam generating purposes as be- ;ing accomplished in connection with oil to formaa lubrication for the floating piston.

I do not make any claim herein, to the feature of lubrication of the piston as that will form the subject matter of a separate application. a

From the foregoing description it will be seen-that a water supply,-- or of water and lubricating oil, is supplied to the exterior of the piston and into the cylinder, so that as 'the piston moves forwardly in. its outer stroke it carries with it a surrounding film or jacket of water, or of water and oil, which comes in contact with tlie surface of the cylinder, thereby not only lubricating the same but also performing the other function of a seal between-the packing rings thereby making a water packed piston. At the same time the application of the water in a thin film over the interior surface of the cylinder, at

each reciprocation of the piston, effects an absorption of heat developed by the internal explosion of the charge in the cylinder, and enables me to construct engines of a very large size, without danger of them becoming overheated. The deposit of these thin films of water upon the interior surface of the cylinder and the exterior surface of the piston during the out-stroke of the piston, not only absorbs the heat due to the explosion of the charge but also affords a system for generating steam internally in an internal combustion engine. The steam thus generated within the cylinder becomes mixed with the air on each stroke of the piston, when the air is admitted to the cylinder and is compressed along with the air into the hot dome at each compression stroke of the piston, and the steam acquires the temperature of the hot dome it thereby becomes superheated. At the instant of the explosion, the heat thereof brings the compressed steam to a very high superheated condition, thereby greatly adding to its expansive force, and enabling it to combine with the explosive charge, and to add an expansive action to that of the exploded charge in moving the piston. The high heat to which the steam is thus subjected probably has the efl'cct of resolving the steam into its component or constituent gases which combine with the carbureted air and the vaporized oil to form the explosive charge. The effect of the presence of the highly superheated steam and its expansion along with the explosive gases causes the gases to burn slowly whereby a more complete action and more thorough combustion and consumption of fuel is accomplished. The steam by reason of its presence in the cylinder at a lower temperature than that of the gases which are liberated into thecylinder prevents an untimely explosion which otherwise might be the case, thereby greatly adding to the economy and etliciency of the engine. In practice I prefer to supply large quantities of Water into the perip ieral chambers of the piston, or to the interior of the cylinder, and have found an arrangement such as above described exceedingly eflicient in preventing carbon deposit on the piston or the interior walls of the cylinder, thus entirely overcoming the trouble heretofore experienced when employing hydro-carbon oil. Another important feature accomplished by the generation of steam within the cylinder as above explained, and its compression along with the air within the hot dome, is to keep the temperature of the dome down to a safe working point, otherwise the dome would become so highly heated as to be melted off the cylinder head.

In practice the hot ball isinitially heated by the external application of heat thereto in order to start the engine. When the engine is once started, however, the ball and dome are maintained at suflicient tempera- ,ture to effect the continued operation of the .pressed, say, to 140 to 150 pounds, and the explosive charge is compressed while under this pressure, momentarily, at the instant of explosion, the heat thereof is raised to about 2800 degrees Fahrenheit, more or less, thereby ra-islng the temperature of the air and steam. By the rapid expansion by this heat of the steam at the instant of explosioz the steam becomes superheated to a still higher degree, thereby bringing it into its greatest expansive efficiency. Consequently it will be seen that by the use of the water aS. above described, the losses heretofore experienced by the operation of engines of this class by reason of the waste of the heat of the explosion and the carrying of the same away by and with the exhaust gases, and the jacket water are avoided, the gases being converted into added energy in the operation of my invention, and utilized thereby, increasing the economy as well as the power developed as compared with engines heretofore constructed. At the same time overheating is avoided, and the. construction of engines of any desired size is permitted, a result hitherto unattained on account of the impossibility of controlling the internal heat developed in the engines. In other words, I am enabled to secure a combined internal combustion engine and a steam engine, while at the same time using crude, cheap or heavy hydro-carbon oil for fuel purposes. I also use to advantage the internal heat of the engine in converting the water supplied there,-

to into steam, thereby decreasing the amount of cooling the water jacket is called upon to accomplish, and which 1' presents loss, the

water jacket coolingbeing one of the most serious sources of loss in internal combustion engines.

Having now set forth the objects and nature of my invention and a construction enibodying the principles thereof, what I claim as new and useful and of my own invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 120 1. In an internal combustion engine, a dome communicatingv with the cylinder of the engine, a hot ball associated with the dome and having a. bridge surface extend ing to the interior of the dome, a fuel feed 125 nozzle extending into the dome and having/ a delivery opening presented toward and extending into close proximity to said bridge surface, means for confining a vaporizable fuel under pressure within said I" nozzle to prevent vaporization thereof and means for releasing said fuel from the nozzle and against said surface 'whereby the heat of the cylinder and the hot ball causes the instant vaporization of said fuel.

2. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder and piston, a crank shaft connected to the piston, a dome communicating with the cylinder, a hot ball having a bridgesurface extending to the interior of the dome, means for yieldingly supporting hot ball in place, a fuel feed nozzle extending into the dome, means for maintaining a vaporizable fuel under pressure within said nozzle, and means for releasing the fuel from said nozzle into the dome and against said bridge surface.

3. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder and piston, means for utilizing the internal heat of the engine to convert water into steam, means for superheating the steam and means for utilizing the super-heated steam to drive the piston. i

4. In an internal combustion engine having a cylinder and piston and a compression chamber, means for admitting steam. to said chamber, means for compressing air in to said chamber, a. fuel feed nozzle extending into said chamber, means for retaining the fuel under sufficient-pressure in said nozzle to prevent the vaporization thereof due to the heat of said chamber, and means for releasing the compressed fuel into the steam and compressed air in said chamber whereby said fuel instantly 'aporizes and mixes with said steam and compressed air to form an explosive charge, and means for igniting said explosive charge.

5. In an internal combustion engine the combination with means for confining vaporizable fuel Within the chamber of said engine, means of subjecting the fuel to vaporizing heat, means for supplying pressure to said fuel sufficient to prevent the vapor ization thereof, and means for releasing said fuel under pressure into the chamber, to allow the vaporization thereof by the high heat in the cylinder and means of igniting the vaporized fuel.

6. In an internal combustion engine, means for compressing air into the explosion chamber of the engine, means for confining fuel Within. said chamber under vaporizing heat, means for supplying pressure sufficient to prevent the vaporization of the fuel, and means for releasing the heated and co1npressed fuel into the compressed air whereby the fuel instantly vaporizes, and means for igniting the vaporized fuel.

7'- ,In an internal combustion engine,

means for supplying sufficient pressure to said fuel to preventthe vaporization and igve'nt the vaporization thereof meansfor supplying Water to the cylinder, means. for

nition thereof, means for releasing the heated and compressed fuel into the cylinder whereby the heat of said cylinder instantly vaporizes the, fuel, and means for simultaneously supplying steam to said fuel as it is vaporized.

8. In an interna-l cornbustion engine, a dome delivering into the, cylinder of the eng ne, a fuel feed pump, a pipe delivering therefrom and having a portion extending into the dome, means for confining a vaporizable fuel within said extending portion of the pipe and under sufficient pres sure to prevent the vaporization thereof, and meaw for periodically increasing the ressure on said fuel to deliver the same into the dome. p

9. In an internal comb stion engine, a, dome delivering into the cy inder of the engine, a fuel feed pump, a pipe delivering therefrom and having a portion extending into the dome, means for confining a vaporizable fuel within said on ending portion of the pipe and under su cient pressure to prevent the vaporization thereof, means for supplying air under pressure to the cylinder, means for periodically releasing the heated fuel under pressure into the cylinder Whereby the heat of the cylinder acts to instantly vaporize the fuel, said vaporized fuel iniiz- 95, ing with the compressed air to form an ex v. plosive charge, and means for igniting said explosive charge. I

10. In an internal combustion engine,'.a dome delivering into the cylinder of the en- 1w gine, a fuel, feed pump, a pipe delivering therefrom and having a portion extending into the dome, means for confiningl a vaporizable fuel within said extending portioi of the pipe and under sufficient pressure to prevent the vaporization thereof, means for supplying steam to the cylinder, means for releasing the heated fuel under pressure into the cylinder whereby the heat of the cylinder acts to instantly vaporize the fuel, said up vaporized fuel mixing with the steam to form an explosive charge, and means for ig-" nit-ing the explosive charge. y

11. In an internal combustion engine, a dome delivering into the cylinder of the en gine, a fuel feed pump, a pipe delivering therefrom and having a'portion extending into the dome, means for confining a vapor izable fuel Within said extending portiontof the pipe and under sufficient pressure to prereleasing the heated fuel under pressure into the cylinder whereby the heat of the cylinder acts to vaporize the fuel and convert the Water into steam, saidflaporized fuel imxing with said steam to form an explosive charge, and means for igniting said explosive charge.

12. In an internal combustion engine, a 1th dome opening into the cylinder of the engine and having an interior wall adapted to be maintained in a highly heated condltion, a fuel feed nozzle extending into the dome and'ha-ving a delivery opening presented through said nozzle delivery opening against said wall whereby the heat of said wall causes the instant vaporization thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 1.5 my hand in the presence of the subscribing witnesses, on this 21 day of Sept. A. 1).,

GEORGE F. WHEELER. Witnesses LOUIS (iALMlsll, LEONARD H. Wueeu-zn. 

